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! 66th Congress, 1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 1 ^^.^'"'^f^'^ 

1st Session. I 1 JNo. 156, 



CLAIMS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE. 



MESSAGE 

FROM THE 

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, 

TRANSMITTING 

A REPORT FROM THE ACTING SECRETARY OF STATE IN RELATION 
TO A CLAIM PRESENTED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE 
AGAINST THIS GOVERNMENT ON ACCOUNT OF LOSSES SUS- 
TAIN^JD BY A FRENCH CITIZEN IN CONNECTION WITH THE 
SEARCH FOR THE BODY OF ADMIRAL JOHN PAUL JONES. 



July 21, 1919. — Message and accompanying papers referred to the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed. 



To the Senate and House of Representatives: 

I transmit herewith a report from the Acting Secretary of State 
in relation to a claim presented by the Government of France against 
this Government on account of losses sustained by a French citizen 
in connection with the search for the body of Admiral John Paul 
Jones, which was undertaken by Gen. Horace Porter, formerly Ameri- 
can ambassador to France, and, referring to my message of June 4, 
1918, concerning this matter, I recommend that an appropriation be 
made to effect a settlement of this claim in accordance with the 
recommendation of the Acting Secretary of State. 

WOODROW WlLSON- 

The White House, Juli/21, 1919. 



The President: 

In 1899 Horace Porter, at that time the American ambassador at 
Paris, undertook a search for the body of Admiral John Paul Jones. 
After an extensive investigation the body \vas found in 1905 in the 
old St. Louis cemetery for foreign Protestants in Paris, which w^as 
by law closed as a cemetery in th;^ year 1793. Arrangements for 
makmfr the necessary excavations w^ere made by the ambassador 
witipRe owaier of the premises, Madame Crignier, a French citizen, 
tok^^om Gen. Porter paid from his own funds a sum of money which 



p. 




2 CLAIMS OF THE GOVflRlSrMENT^^ FRANCE. 

Madame Crignier was obliged to pay to tenants, who occupied build- 
ings erected on the land in which the excavations were made, to 
indemnify them for the disturbance caused them by the work carried 
on in the search for the body. 

It appears that after the work had been completed the walls of the 
buildings settled and cracked, and that thereupon the tenants brought 
suit against Madame Crignier and recovered judgihents against her in 
a French court for damages alleged to have been sustained as a result 
of the injury to the buildings. The amount of these judgments and 
the expenses incurred hj Madame Crignier in connection with this 
litigation were not covered by the agreement which she made with 
Gen. Porter when she granted him the right to undertake the excava- 
tion in question on the payment of a sum of mone}^ which when the 
agreement was made seemed adequate to meet the demands of her 
tenants. 

The French Government has asked the Government of the United 
States to pay, as an act of good will and generosity, the sum of 
70,006.90 francs to indemnify Madame Crignier for her losses. 

It appears that Madame Crignier is a person of small means and 
that she has suffered considerable hardship as a result of the losses 
sustained by her. In view of this fact, and in view of the deep inter- 
est of the Government of the United States in the work which was 
undertaken by Gen. Porter at his own expense and which was made 
possible by the friendly action of Madame CVignier, the Acting Secre- 
tary of State has the honor to recommend that Congress be recjuested 
to make an appropriation of $13,511.13, the equivalent of 70,006.90 
francs, to pay the indemnity requested in behalf of Madame Crignier. 

In this relation the Acting Secretary of State has the honor to lay 
before the President, with a view to their transmission to Congress 
for the consideration of that body in connection with this case, copies 
of correspondence in regard to the claim presented by the French 
Government, and to refer to the report of the Secretary of State of 
June 1, 1918, on the same subject. 

Respectfully submitted. 

Feank L. Polk. 

Department of State, 

Washington, July 15, 1919. 



[Translation of note from ministry of foreign affairs.] 

Paris, October 25, 1910. 

In the month of December, 1904, Gen. Horace Porter, ambassador 
of the United States at Paris, requested of Madame Crignier authority 
to proceed to make excavations in a house oelonging to her, Rue 
Grange-aux -Belles, Nos. 43, 45, and 47, the object of which was to 
find the remains of Admiral Paul Jones. 

Madame Crignier gave this authorization on the condition of the 
pavment of a forfeit in the sum of 15,000 francs. 

This contract of indeniTiity had for its sole object to indemnify the 
tenants of Madame Crignier, into whose houses it was iiecessary to 
penetrate, for the distui'bance which would be caused them by the 
work and for the deprivation of possession of the premises which 
they occupied during the time this work was in progress. 

0- of y* 

AUG 2 1919 



CLAIMS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE. 3 

The consequences of the excavations undertaken, in spite of the 
work of refilling and of consolidation, done by the engineers of the 
city of Paris exceeded all expectations. Undoubtedly all the work 
of restoration was done by the engineers of the city of Paris for the 
account of the American Government, but the excavations caused 
sinking, the walls became cracked, and the solidity of the property 
was compromised. 

Two tenants sued Madame Crignier, demanding an indemnity, and 
Obtained 15,094.05 francs. The proprietress was obliged to defray 
besides this amount considerable expenses exacted by the experts 
and the costs of litigation. Upon the whole, she has sustained a total 
loss of 15,000 francs, without speaking of the settling caused b}^ the 
excavations, which has occasioned a heavy depreciation to the prop- 
erty in compromising its solidity and the duration of its existence. 

Madame Crignier vainly, in the course of the suits which were 
brought against her, cited as guarantee the city of Paris, whose- 
engineers, placed at the disposal of Gen. Horace Porter, had directed" 
the excavations and the work of refilling and consolidating. The 
judgment of the Tribunal of the Seine of July 6, 1909, condemning 
Madame Crignier to pay 9,378 francs to one of her tenants, among 
its reaTsons states: 

It is established that if the said .work has been executed with the cooperation of 
the quarry engineers, it was done for the account of the Government of the United 
States, by Gen. Horace Porter, ambassador of the United States, to whom the said 
engineers have been obligingly lent by the prefect of the Seine. 

Had it been any other person than a foreign ambassador Madame 
Crignier could have made a claim for guarantee against this third party. 

Passing legal judgment, a tribunal would without doubt have ad- 
mitted that some compensation was due to the proprietress of the 
property in the Rue Grange-aux-Belles; but a triounal will never be 
called to pronounce judgment on this case by reason of the diplo- 
matic immunity which covers ambassadors. There therefore only 
remains for Madame Crignier to appeal to the good will and gen- 
erosity of the Federal Government with a view to obtaining an 
equitable compensation for the supplementary expenses which have 
been occasioned her on account of the search for the body of Admiral 
Paul Jones. 

The department of foreign affairs feel justified in supporting this 
request. 

Paris, November 4, 1910. 
The Secretary of State, 

Vit^asliington. 

Sir: I have the honor to submit to you a note, with translation, 
dated October 25, 1910, received from the ministry of foreign affairs 
in regard to the excavations made under the direction of Gen. Horace 
Porter for the finding of the remains of Admiral Paul Jones. 

As you will observe, Madame Crignier, who is the proprietress of 
the property where the excavations were made, received at the time 
15,000 francs, which was an indemnity for the tenants of Madame 
Crignier for the deprivations caused them on account of the search. 

It seems that Madame Crignier was subsequently sued by two of 
her tenants, who obtained the smn of 15,094.05 francs, and it is now 
claimed that she has sustained a loss of 15,000 francs on account of 



4 CLAIMS OF THE GOVflENMENT OF FRAXCE. 

the cost of litigation, without taking into account her losses from the 
depreciation of the property through the setthng of the walls as a 
result of the excavations. 

The foreign office points out that Madame Crignier has no legal 
redress against the ambassador of the United States and therefore 
supports her petition that the American Government indemnify 
her for the losses she has sustained. 

I have the honor to urge that some means may be found to satisfy 
this claim, supported by the foreign office, as it would be ver}^ much 
appreciated. I have the honor to be, sir. 
Your obedient servant, 

Robert Bacon. 



December 7, 1910. 
Hon. Robert Bacon, 

American Ambassador, Paris. 

Sir: The department acknowledges the receipt of yoiu' dispatch. 
No. 325, of the 4th ultimo, inclosing a note received by you from the 
French minister for foreign affairs in regard to the excavations made 
under the direction of Gen. Horace Porter, for the ffiiding of the 
remains of Admiral John Paul Jones, and the appeal of Madame 
Crignier to the good will and generosity of this Government with a 
view to obtaining equitable compensation for the supplemental 
expeises which have been occasioned her on account of the search 
for the body. 

With a view to obtaining such information as would assist the 
department in considering whether application should be made to 
Congress for indemnification to Madame Crignier as an act of justice 
and equity, the matter was submitted to Gen. Porter, who replies 
that his original contract made with Madame Crignier was left in 
the hands of his counsel, Mr. Edmund KeUy, since deceased; that 
he has written to Mr. Kelly's successor, Mr. Archibald, to look for the 
contract and other papers bearing on the subject and to forward 
them as soon as possible, and that as soon as he received these papers 
and other infonnation from his representatives in Paris he will be 
very glad to let the department have all the information he possesses 
on the subject. 

As soon as the department ascertains all the facts bearing upon the 
matter, 3'ou will be informed of whatever action it may deem proper 
to take concerning it. 

It should, however, be borne in mind that the Tribunal of the Seine 
is in error in its judgment that the work of examination was done ''for 
the account of the Government of the United States by Gen. Horace 
Porter." You will find in the printed volmne of Foreign Relations of 
the United States for the year 1905, page 429, a statement by Gen. 
Porter, as follows : 

Negotiations were quietly opened upon the basis of purchasing the right to explore 
the abandoned cemetery by means of subterranean galleries, provided that all damages 
to houses should be repaired, any victims of disease caused by foul emanations from 
the disturbed soil indemnified, and the property afterwards restored to its former 
condition. After a series of prolonged and tedious negotiations, appeals to the public 
spi it of the occupants of the property, and an assurance that the United States Gov- 
ernment had made no appropriation or taken any action in the matter, and that the 
work was simply an indi\-idual undertaking. I at last succeeded in procuring options 
in writing from all concerned granting the right for three months to enter upon the 
premises and make the necessary excavations. 



CLAIMS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE. 5 

The same view was taken by the Congress of the United States 
when, instead of favorably considering the recommendation made by 
President Roosevelt, that an ap])ropriation of S35,000 be made to 
meet the entire cost of the work of recovering the remains, including 
the options, it passed a joint resolution, approved May 9, 1906, 
tendering the thanks of the people of the United States to Gen. 
Porter for his disinterested and patriotic services in conducting upon 
his "own initiative" and at his "own expense" a series of researches 
and excavations extending over a period of six years and resulting in 
the recovery of the body of Admiral John Paul Jones, etc. 

It would, therefore, seem that there could be no legal ground for a 
claim against the United States in this account. I am, sir. 
Your obedient servant, 

P. C. Knox. 



[Translation. 



Embassy of the French Republic, 

To THE United States, 

Washington, January 9, 1911. 

Mr. Secretary of State: The minister of foreign affairs of the 
Republic desires me to submit to your excellency's favorable con- 
sideration the widow Crignier's request, herein inclosed, which has 
already been made the subject of a note verbale, addressed on 
October 25 last to the embassy of the United States at Paris, in 
regard to the losses sustained by her as the result of the excavations 
made on her property in search of the remains of Admiral John 
Paul Jones. 

It is true that authority to proceed with the said excavations was 
granted by Mrs. Crignier on the application made by the embassy 
of the United States at Paris, in December, 1904, in consideration 
of a lump indemnity of 15,000 francs. 

But the work was much longer and greater than had been expected 
at first, and Mrs. Crignier, as a result of the indemnities she had to 
pay to her own tenants, and also of the deterioration of the property, 
sustained losses largely in excess of the amount of the lump indemnity. 

Under these circumstances Mrs. Crignier thinks she may appeal 
to the equity of the Federal Government in order to obtain com- 
pensation for her loss. The request she asked the minister for 
foreign affairs to transmit to the Federal Government appears to 
rest on most solid grounds, and I should be glad if your excellency 
could find it possible to receive it favorably. 

Your excellency will notice furthermore that the applicant declared 
herself ready to accept any arbitration that the Federal Government 
may desire both on the question of principle and on the point of the 
amount of loss suffered, the items of which are set forth in the 
inclosed memorial. 

Be pleased to accept, Mr. Secretary of State, the assurances of my 
high consideration. 

JUSSERAND. 

Hon. P. C. Knox, 

Secretary of State of the United States, Washington, D. C. 



6 CLAIMS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE. 

[Translation.] 

STATEMENT OF THE CLAIM PRESENTED BY THE WIDOW CRIGNIER 
TO THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT. 

In December, 1904, the American Government, through its ambas- 
sador in France, Gen. Horace Porter, and through the prefecture of 
pohce, requested of Madam Crignier the authority to have excava- 
tions made on premises belonging to her at Nos. 43, 45, and 47 
Grange-aux-Belles Street, for the purpose of recovering the remains 
of Admiral Paul Jones. 

In accordance with the correspondence exchanged between Gen. 
Horace Porter and Madame Crignier, the authority to proceed with 
the excavations was granted in consideration of the payment of 
the lump sum of 15,000 francs. 

The sole purpose of this lump-sum indemnity was to compensate 
the tenants of Madame Crignier, whose premises it was necessary 
to enter, for the distur])ances which were to be caused them by the 
work, and for their being deprived of the enjoyment of the premises 
which they occupied, during the continuance of the work. 

All work of repair, restrengthening, and restoration was under- 
stood to be at the expense of the American Government. 

The work was not to exceed a period of three months. It was to 
be carried out by the engineers of the city of Paris under the super- 
vision of Messrs. Judlin & Gravereaux, architects of Madame Crignier, 
whose fees were to be paid b}^ the American Government. 

As a result of the plan adopted, one tenant (Mr. Bassigny) was to 
be chiefly affected. It was in the part of the premises occupied by 
him that the principal excavations were to be made. 

Madame Crignier paid to him the sum of 10,000 francs hj way of 
indemnit}^, and granted him a renewal of his lease for six years at 
a reduction of 1,000 francs during the first three years and of 500 
francs during the next three years — that is, a reduction of 4,500 
francs in aU — which constituted for Mr. Bassigny a total indemnity 
of 14,500 francs. 

The surplus remaining from the lump sum of 15,000 francs — that 
is, 500 francs — was distributed among various other tenants who had 
been deprived of the use of their cellars. 

Madame Crignier did not wish and did not receive any profit 
from this affair. At the instance of the French Government, she 
sought only to be agreeable to the American Government by mduc- 
ing her tenants to accept the indemnities proposed. 

Tlie work was carried out with complete success and resulted in 
the discovery of the remains of Admiral Paul Jones, which were 
transported to the United States. But the consequences of the 
excavations made, in spite of the work of embankment and re- 
strengthening performed b}^ the engineers of the city of Paris, 
exceeded all expectations. 

At the time of the agreement entered into between Gen. H. Porter 
and Madame Crignier the only thing foreseen was the injury to be 
caused by the excavations to the tenants whose premises were 
entered. As all the work of restoration was to be executed by the 
engineers of the city of Paris at the expense of the American Govern- 
ment, it seemed at that time that there could not be any other harm 
done. 



CLAIMS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE. 7 

But the excavations brought about settHng of the walls, the walls 
cracked, and the solidity of the entire building was endangered. 

The tenants protested. One of them, Madame Widow Faidherbe, 
whose premises for that matter had not been entered at the time of 
the excavations, and who ran a furnished hotel and a lavatory and 
had been compelled to suspend her business for more than a year, 
secured at the very start the appointment by the civil court of an 
expert, named Mr. Lalanne, and then, on the strength of the report 
of the expert, sued Widow Crignier in the civil court of the Seine)[for 
the sum of 30,192.20 francs. 

On July 6, 1909, the First Chamber of the Civil Court of the Seine 
sentenced Madame Crignier to pay the sum of 9,378.75 francs to 
Madame Faidherbe. On the other hand it appointed a new expert 
to examine whether Madame Faidherbe had, as a consequence of 
the closing of her establishment, sustained any loss during the years 
following its reopening, and to fix the amount of the loss if there 
were any. 

It likewise appointed the above-mentioned expert, Mr. Lalanne, 
to examine the A^arious disturbances existing anew in the premises, 
to seek their cause and determine their importance, and to hand 
in a new re])ort. 

The court furthermore declared Ihat the work which liad caused 
these various losses has been executed under the direction of the 
engineers of the city, but at the expense of the United States Gov- 
ernment. 

On tlie other hand, a second tenant, Mr. Bassigny, likewise secured 
from the president of the Seine court on April 5, 1907, an order 
appointing Mr. Rozet as expert for the purpose of ascertaining 
whether the buildings rented to Mr. Bassigny showed sufhcient 
solidity so that they might be occupied without peril to indicate 
the cause thereof (sic), and to have all necessary work carried out. 

This work prescribed by the expert was carried out under the 
direction of Messrs. Judlin and Gravereaux. 

A report was handed in by the expert, Mr. Rozet, the conclusions 
whereof were that the cost of the work of restoration, prescribed 
during the course of the operation and rendered necessary by the 
excavations made to recover the cofhn of Admiral Paul Jones, 
amounted to the sum of 6,715.80 francs. 

Therefore, adding the 9,378.25 francs, which was the amount of 
the judgment obtained by Madame Faidherbe, the expense and loss 
sustained by Madame Crignier was 15,094.05 francs. 

And this figure did not include the considerable expenditure 
necessitated by the expert examinations and the suits brought 
before the court. 

The court still has pending before it the suit for additional damages 
brought by Madame Faidherbe by reason of facts in regard to A^hich 
the first expert had not considered himself authorized to pass 
judgment. 

Finally, the expert, Mr. Lalanne, is assigned by the judgment 
rendered July 6, 1909, to examine again into the injuries caused in 
the premises on Grange-aux-Belles Street. 

The new judgments to be given and the new expenses to be incurred 
on this score can not yet be fixed. 



8 CLAIMS or THE GOVERjSTMEjSTT OF FRAJSTCE. 

But there is reason right now for dwelhng on the considerable 
depreciation in value which has taken place in the building as a 
result of the excavations which were made in the ground beneath, 
permanently endangering its solidity and considerably shortening 
its life. 

It is certain right now that the settlings (of walls) caused by the 
excavations will continually recur. The ground under the building 
undermined in spite of all the restrengthening work executed by the 
engineers of the city. The preservation of the building can only 
be insured in future by means oi constantly renewed work. 

In equity as well as in law, the original stipulated sum, which 
contemplated a work of three months, could not cover work which 
has continued for more than a year and which is even still being 
continued to-day. 

The sum could not, in the common intention of the parties, have 
corered absolutely unforeseen consec|uences of the excavations which 
were to be undertaken. 

The correspondence exchanged at the time between Madame 
Crignier and Gen. Horace Porter, the moderateness of the sum 
offered, and which Madame Crignier paid at once to her tenants — all 
this shows that it was only a question of an indemnity allowed to the 
tenants during the continuance of the work, and not of an indemnity 
covering the future consecjuences which the execution of the work 
might entail upon the premises. 

It would really be very unjust for a private individual who acted 
benevolently and disinterestedly to have to bear personall}^ the con- 
sequences of work carried out for the glorification of an illustrious 
American citizen. We have thought that it would sufhce to appeal 
to the spirit of justice and equity of the Ignited States Government 
in order to secuie a just reparation of the damages caused us. 

We will add, in conclusion, that we would be willing to accept any 
arbitration that the American Government might wish, both in 
regard to the principle involved and to the amount of our claims, 
the items and aggregate ol which are shown in the appended 
memorandum. 



January 21, 1911. 

Excellency : I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your 
note of the 9th instant, wherewith, by direction of the minister for 
foreign affairs, you submit for this department's consideration the 
petition of the widow Crignier for compensation for the losses alleged 
to have been sustained by her as the result of the excavations made 
on her property in the search for the remains of Admiral John Paul 
Jones. 

In reply I have the honor to inform you that this matter will receive 
the department's early consideration. 

Accept, Excellency, the renewed assurances of my highest 
consideration. 

P. C. Knox. 

J. J. JUSSERAND, 

Ambassador of the French Republic. 



CLAIMS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE. 9 

[Translation.] 

Embassy of the French Republic, 

To THE United States, 
Washington, November 7, 1913. 

Mr. Secretary of State: In compliance with instructions from 
my Government, I recommended, under date of January 9, 1911, to 
the attention of your excellency's honorable predecessor, a petition of 
Mrs. Crignier, praying the Government of the United States for reim- 
bursement of the losses she had suffered as a result of the excavations 
made under a house owned by her in Rue de la Grange-aux-Belles 
at Paris in quest of John Paul Jones's remains. 

While admitting that permission to proceed with such excavations 
had been granted by Mrs. Crignier on the request made by the 
embassy of the United States at Paris in December, 1904, in con- 
sideration of a lump-sum indemnity of 15,000 francs, I had to call 
attention to the fact that it was at first thought that the work on 
account of which that sum had been offered would not last more than 
three months ; but, on the contrary, it lasted for a much longer time and 
caused to the said house damages that were entirely out oi proportion 
to the indemnity that was paid. 

As stated in the memorandum appended to the above-mentioned 
note, which I should thank your excellency to send for, the owner of 
the house who was absolutely disinterested and only sought to oblige 
the American Government was from the very outset compelled to 
turn over to the tennants all the money she had received, 10,000 
francs to the principal one, Mr. Bassigny, in addition to reduced rent 
scaled over several years and aggregating 4,500 francs, the remaining 
500 francs being distributed among several parties who had been 
merely deprived of the use of their cellars. 

The unforeseen importance of the work unfortunately caused 
damages that vastly exceeded what had thus been paid for. The 
walls of the house settled and cracked so that the other tenants 
sued Mrs. Crignier for indemnities. The condition of the building 
resulting from the excavations is sufficiently shown by the judg- 
ment of July 6, 1909, of the Tribunal of the Seine, which sentenced 
the owner to pay the sum of 9,378.75 francs to one of the claimants. 
Other claims were likewise sustained, so that both on account of 
those payments and costs and of the depreciation, which is but too 
well known, of her property, the party in interest, victim of her 
desire to please, finds herself exposed to losses, enormous to her, on 
account of the alacrity with which she responded to the views and 
desires of the American authorities. 

Relying on the justice of her cause and reluctant to doubt the 
sense of ecpity of the Federal Government, she asks that all her 
allegations be Verified in such manner as may be found convenient 
and, if deemed expedient, that her petition be referred to such arbi- 
tration as may be found acceptable to the American authorities, 
both as to the principle and amount of the indemnity. 

As my Government considers the claim to be worthy of the most 
earnest consicleration, I venture to bring it to your excellency's 
attention and to express the wish that the matter that has so long 
been pending may be promptly settled. I wish to remark that my 
aforesaid recpest of January 9, 1911, was answered on the 21st of 



10 CLAIMS OF THE GOVERlsrMElSrT OF FEANCE. 

the same month with a statement that the case would be taken 
into consideration without delay by the Department of State. It 
has, however, not yet been settled. 

Be pleased to accept, Mr. Secretary of State, the assurances of my 
high consideration. 

JUSSERAND. 

Hon. W- J- Bryan, 

Secretary of State of the United States. 



May 21, 1914. 

Sir: The department has received your No. 505, of January 15 
last, in further relation to the claim of Madame Crignier, of Paris, 
for losses alleged to have been sustained by her on account of the 
excavations made to recover the remains of John Paul Jones. 

Before taking final action in relation to the request submitted in 
behalf of Madame Crignier, the department desires to obtain a pre- 
cise statement, supported by evidence, of the exact amount of the 
losses which she alleges were sustained by her. The only losses for 
which the department considers that it might take steps to obtain 
compensation for Madame Crignier are those which may have been 
suffered by her subsequent to the settlement effected between her- 
self and Gen. Porter and which were not contemplated by the agree- 
ment through which that settlement was made. 

You will accordingly request the French Government to furnish 
such a statement, and you will state in this connection that the 
department would like to obtain all possible evidence which Madame 
Crignier may be able to furnish regarding the various items of her 
alleged losses. 

I am, sir, your obedient servant, 



For tJie Secretary of State. 
Hon. Myron T. Herrick, 

Arnerican Ambassador, Paris. 



[Translation.] 

Embassy of the French Republic to 

The United States, 

Washington, May 21, 1915. 

Mr. Secretary of State: I had the honor, under instructions 
from my government, to commend by a letter of November 7, 1913, 
to your excellency's consideration Mrs. Crignier's application for 
reimbursement of the losses suffered by her on account of the exca- 
vations made under a house owned by her at Paris in a search for 
the remains of John Paul Jones. The evidence and vouchers show- 
ing the amount of the losses suffered by the lady concerned and 
largely exceeding all previous estimates have been turned over 
through me to the Federal Govemrnqnt. 

On the 18th of November of the same year, your excellencj^, in 
reply to my communication, informed me "that the Department of 
State was examining the claim and would make its decision known 
later. 



CLAIMS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE. 11 

I venture now to remind you of the application of Mrs. Crignier, 
who has again appHed to the embassy. She is an eklerly person 
who showed the best of good wills in facilitating a search in which 
keen interest was manifested here and in consequence of which she 
now finds herself in a tr3nng situation which is certainl}^ worthy of 
consideration. 

I should be very thankful to your excellency for all that you could 
do toward having the application disposed of as the circumstances 
seem to call for. 

Be pleased to accept, Mr. Secretary of State, the assurances of my 
high consideration. __^- 

JUSSERAND. 

Hon. W. J. Bryax, 

Secretary of State of the United States. 



Paris, September 21, 1915. 
Sir: Referring to my No. 951, of June 30, in which I had the 
honor to inform you of the compliance with your telegraphic instruc- 
tion No. 909 of June 18, relative to the claim of Madame Crignier 
for damages to her property resulting from the excavations made to 
recover the remains of John Paul Jones, I have the honor to forward 
herewith a copy and translation of a note from the mmistry for 
foreign affairs, forwarding to this embassy documents to sustain the 
claim of Madame Crignier for the damages to her property. 

The originals of these documents inclosed in Monsieur Delcass6's 
note are herewith forwarded to the department. 
I have the honor to be, sir, 
Your obedient servant, 

Wm. G. Sharp. 
The Secretary of State, 

WasJiington. 



[Translation .' 

French Republic, 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 

Paris, Sepetmher 17, 1915. 

Mr. Ambassador: In a latter dated June 29 last your excellency 
saw fit to confer with me regarding the financial loss sustained by the 
widow Crignier by reason of the excavations made under a building 
on Grange-aux-Belles Street belonging to her, with a view to finding 
the remains of Admiral John Paul Jones. You stated to me on that 
occasion that the United States Government wished to receive an 
exact account, supported by vouchers, of the expenses which Madame 
Crignier had to bear in this connection, as well as proofs, as numerous 
as possible, of the separate items of expenditure appearing in the 
account in question. 

Mr. Alexis Anquetin, attorney in the court of appeals of Paris, 
who has charge of the interests of Madame Crignier, and to whom I 
had applied for this purpose, has just sent me the accompanying 
documents, enumerated on the memorandum appended hereto. In 



12 CLAIMS OF THE GOVERlSrMElSrT OF FRANCE. 

transmitting these documents to me, Mr. Anquetin observed to me 
that document No. 6 is a copy of the original petition addressed to tlie 
American Government by the interested party and containing a 
complete statement of the facts. 

As to the question of the depreciation of the premises, certain parts 
of the groundwork whereof have been shaken, the representative of 
Madame Crignier considers that this depreciation can only be ex- 
amined and determined on the spot. He therefore suggests that an 
expert or adviser representing the interests of the American Govern- 
ment be intrusted with settling the question, in agreement wdth the 
architect of the interested party. 

Finally, as regards the fees due her architects, Madame Crignier 
can only leave to the American Government the task of determining 
the amount thereof. 

Please accept the assurances of the very high regards with which I 
have the honor to be, Mr. Ambassador, 

Your excellency's most humble and obedient servant, 

Delcasse. 

His Excellency Mr. Sharp, 

Ambassador of the United States at Paris. 



[Translation.] 

Judgment rendered in favor of Madame Faidherbe against Madame Crignier by the First 
Chamber of the Civil Court of the Seine on July 6, 1909. 

Francs. 
In support, document serving notice of the judgment, document 1, amount 

of the judgment 9, 378. 75 

Costs of procedure, in support bill of Mr. Gan ier, attorney, documents 2 
and 3: 

Expenses of Mr. Duplan , attorney for the city 229. 20 

Expenses of Mr. Garnier, attorney for Madame Crignier 709. 00 

Fees of Mr. Garnier ' 1, 000. 00 

Fees and expenses of Mr. lialanne, expert architect 320. 00 

New proceeding which terminated in the appointment of Mr. Yclie as 

expert (bill), fees and expen.ses of Mr. Yche, expert 119. 50 

Bassigny case, work performed at the instance of Mr. Bassigny in the way 
of judicial assistance and expert service: 

Francs. 

Amount of work 6, 715. 80 

In support, copy of report, document 4 — 

Cost of procedure, in support, Garnier bill, document 5 — 
Paid to Attorney Leduc, bill of costs and fees, as well 
as those of Attorney Lemaire, architect of Mr. Bas- 
signy 322. 00 

Paid to Attorney Rozet, expert, for his report 610. 40 

Expenses of Attorney Garnier 102. 60 

Fees of Attorney Garnier 500. 00 

8,250.50 

Fees of attorneys in these different actions 5, 000. 00 

Fees of Messrs. Judliu & Gravereaux, architects (which under 
agreements entered with Gen. Porter, were to be paid by 
the American Government), for searches and examination 
of property, various steps taken to obtain the authorization 
of the tenants, visit and supervision of works during recon- 
struction, work in expert investigation (the whole having 

lasted since 1905) 15, 000. 00 

Depreciation of the building 30, 000. 00 

Total (subject to correction on the basis of the bill) 70. 006. 90 



CLAIMS OF THE GOVEKNMENT OF FEANCE. 13 

[Translation of note from ministry of foreign affairs.) 

The foreign office presents its compliments to the American Em- 
bassy in Paris and, with reference to its note of May 10 last, concern- 
ing a claim made by Madame Crignier at the time of the search made 
in Paris for the remains of Admiral John Paul Jones, expresses its 
desire to know the decision arrived at in this matter by the Federal 
Government. 

The foreign ofhce would be happy if the American Embassy be good 
enough to intervene with a view to arriving to a prompt settlement 
of this matter. 

Paris, Odoler 28, 1918. 

[Translation of note from ministry of foreign aflairs.] 
PETITION OF MADAME CRIGNIER. 

The ministry for foreign affairs presents is compliments to the 
embassy of the United States in Paris and, as a sequel to its note of 
the 28th of last October, has the honor of calling to the attention of 
that embassy the claim for an indemnity formulated by Madame 
Crignier, owner of the house near which search was made to find the 
remains of Admiral Jones. 

The ministry for foreign affairs believes it its duty to mention that 
from information come to its knowledge the state of the house has 
become such as to call for its demolition. 

The necessity for an evaluation by both parties appears particu- 
larly urgent, to the end of determining, before the house disappears, 
the extent of the damages suffered during the search made some years 

The ministry for foreign affairs would be obliged to the embassy of 
the United States if it would make known the intentions of the 
American Government in this matter especially if the latter is 
willing to have an appraiser named, charged, in conjunction with 
another designated by the interested party, to determine a basis for 
an indemnity, the equity of which has been admitted in principle by 
the Federal Government, as the United States Embassy's note of June 
15, 1916, has been good enough to admit. 

Paris, January 21, 1919. 

[Paraphrase of telegram sent by Department of State to American Embassy, Paris, France, on January 2"), 
1919, in reply to the embassy's telegram No. 6894, of January 23, 1919, which contained the substance 
of the note received by the embassy from the French foreign office dated January 21, 1919, regarding 
the claim of Madame Crignier.] 

Your dispatch No. 6242 of May 14, 1918, states that the amount of 
this claim is 70,006.90 francs, and a bill introduced in Congress to pay 
$13,511.13, equivalent to the amount of this claim, has been passed 
by the Senate and is pending before the House of Representatives. 
Early favorable action on this bill is hoped for by the department. 
In view of the foregoing, the department does not see the necessity 
of designating an expert to assess damages. You are instructed to 
send a communication to the foreign office containing the substance 
of the above statement. 

Polk, Acting. 

o 



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